Oliver Townend blazes the trail
Shropshire event rider Oliver Townend faced a daunting task today to climb the leaderboard at the Badminton Horse Trials Championships despite a brilliant cross-country round.
Townend, from Duddleston Heath, near Ellesmere, the 2009 Badminton winner, went into the final showjumping phase down in 20th place.
A disappointing opening dressage score of 51.7 penalties left him out of the money, although Armada made amends when blazing the trail cross-country yesterday.
The partnership, who were fourth at Burghley last year, were first to go and scorched round inside the time.
World No. 2 William Fox-Pitt, in line for the £230,000 Rolex Grand Slam bonus prize, was the highest-placed Briton after cross-country.
He was third on Parklane Hawk behind Germany's Olympic gold medallist Michael Jung and New Zealander Jonathan Paget. Andrew Nicholson – also in Grand Slam contention – was lying fourth.
